‘Practical work on TAPI soon’

AT-KABUL: The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) on Sunday assured that practical work on the implementation of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline would be kicked off in Afghanistan in the next three months

The ministry hinted toward fully readiness of the Afghan government to implement the project in its part.

Spokesman for the MoMP, Abdul Qadeer Mutfi, said that it is expected the process of implementation of the TAPI in the country to set up in a special ceremony.

“This would definitely grow economic cooperation and connective with the region countries.”

In October, the MoMP announced that the trans-national gas pipeline, which is being built in Turkmenistan, will reach the Afghan border in Herat by January 2018.

The pipeline will be 1,735 kilometers long and have the capacity of transferring 33 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India through Herat, Farah, Helmand and Nimroz provinces.

Afghanistan is going to receive $500 million as transit fees annually from the project—a move will help improve fragile economy situation.

“When the interests of both India and Pakistan are served through the project, they will no longer continue their rivalry on Afghan soil,” said economist Haseeb Mauhid.

The 1,814-kilometre (1,127 mi) pipeline will run from gas fields in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan to India. It starts from the Galkynysh gas field.

In Afghanistan, TAPI pipeline will be constructed alongside the Kandahar–Herat Highway in western Afghanistan, and then via Quetta and Multan in Pakistan. The final destination of the pipeline will be the Indian town of Fazilka, near the border between Pakistan and India.